Why go cruelty free?

Going cruelty free step-by-step

I’ve done a lot of experimenting with skincare over the years. From my first mini Nivea Visage set at the age of 11 (the obsession started young), to the time when I wouldn’t use anything unless it was from Pixi, I’ve been through a lot of different products as my skin has changed. My current cruelty-free skincare routine is one I’m very happy with—fingers crossed…

I signed up to Plastic-Free July on a whim. I’d already been doing what I could to reduce my plastic consumption, so surely avoiding all single-use plastic would be easy for me, right? Wrong. Avoiding single-use plastic and going about an ordinary, everyday life is hard. Sure, the conversation about throwaway solutions has been in the media more over the last couple of years, but…

Plastic-Free July has been hit and miss so far. It’s great when you have the time to plan and prepare everything in advance, whether you need a snack to tide you over or are shopping for something specific and need a canvas bag to carry it in. But it’s a lot trickier when you’re put on the spot, because what’s available is rarely designed to…

My first day attempting Plastic-Free July did not go well. Fast approaching a dizzy spell, I rooted around in my bag, only to find that I’d already eaten the last emergency snack I’d packed. (I have low blood pressure, so bringing food with me is essential.) I had to go into the supermarket to find a sugary snack. Lesson one? Always be prepared. I packed…

I was diagnosed with PTSD in March last year. It wasn’t a surprise. Something had been off since the car accident I had in late 2017, and I needed help. What I thought I could deal with using techniques I’d picked up from anxiety-focused CBT sessions was an entirely different beast; it needed a different kind of treatment. My then-line manager gently suggested I see…